Laura's Choice
by MMismyheroLR
Summary: When Richard Adar crops up in the fleet, will Laura have to choose between a man she had once loved and the Admiral?
1. Part 1

_Back on Caprica: President Adar's office: Just before the destruction of the 12 colonies._

"This can't be happening!" Adar yelled. "For frak's sake! The Cylons can't be back!"

"Sir, they are. The meeting station was destroyed. And now an 'unknown' force is attacking us. It has to be-" He was shot in the back.

Adar spun around, finding himself face to face with the barrel of a gun. The gun belonged to a blonde woman, a beautiful blonde woman. "Who are you?" He asked.

"Your worst nightmare." She answered sexily before hitting him over the head with the butt of her gun.

********

_On a Cylon baseship: Richard Adar's cell: Just after the destruction of the 12 colonies._

Adar came back into conciousness slowly, his head pounding. The first thought that entered his mind was Laura. _Where is she? Is she okay? Did she survive the attacks? She was supposed to be on the Battlestar Galactica for the decommisioning ceremony. What happened? Where am I?_ His eyes searched the cell, finally resting on the blonde woman that had hit him over the head.

"Who are you?" He asked loudly. "Where am I? What's going on?"

"I think the correct question would be 'What am I'. And the correct answer would be a Cylon."

"A Cylon? You can't be. The last time we saw the Cylons, they looked like toasters."

"It's a thing called evolution. Now we look like this. Or, some of us do. As for you, you're on one of our baseships. Congratulations, you've survived the destruction of the 12 colonies."

********

_On New Caprica: During the exodus from New Caprica_

Adar ran into mass confusion. The Cylons were letting him go, and he didn't understand why, but right this second all he cared about was getting as far away from them as possible. He joined a group that was running for a nearby raptor, thrilled that he was finally among humans again. He looked around, searching for a familiar face, but not finding one. _I'm crazy to think that Laura will be okay. She's probably long dead, along with everyone else the Cylons killed back on the Colonies._

Laura was all he could think about. He could kick himself for not telling her how he truly felt when he still had the chance. He had always loved her, and he would never get to tell her just how much. He climbed into the raptor, surprised that no one had noticed him. Then again, he had changed a lot from when he was President. He'd grown older, his hair slowly graying. He had numerous scars from where he'd been hit and tortured by the Cylons.

Adar craned his neck to look out the front of the raptor. They were soon in orbit, and preparing to jump. With the jump brought the feeling of being stretched out. He never really could get used to that feeling. It felt so weird to him. So unfamiliar. He never liked unfamiliar things. It was one of the reasons that he could never let go of Laura. She was a symbol of everything that was familiar to him. They had met when he was elected mayor of Caprica City, when she was president of the school board. He was immediately attracted to her, flowing auburn hair, long, sexy legs, deep, electric green eyes. That was long before he was married, and he acted on that attraction. At first she fought against him, not wanting to get involved with a man that she worked with, but, eventually, she gave in to the attraction that they both felt strongly.

When he was elected governor of Caprica, he made her the head of education, wanting to keep her close. They kept their relationship a secret, not wanting people to think that she slept her way into her position. She hadn't, of course. While it was true Richard had wanted to keep her close, she earned her job by her actions with the people and students, not by her performance in the bedroom. He asked her to marry him several times, but each time she refused. She had never been very good at relationships, ever since her parent's own marriage had fallen apart. She was content to keep their relationship what it was, to her, purely sex.

It was just after he started his second term as governor that he met Samantha. He didn't love her by any means, but her family was of great political standing. He knew that if he married her his chances of being elected president would increase greatly. The day he told Laura was the hardest of his life, and it resulted in the biggest fight they ever had. She told him that if he married Samantha, that she would never, ever forgive him and that he'd never get into her pants again. He told her that if she would marry him, then he wouldn't have to marry Samantha. Again she refused, saying that she couldn't marry him.

So he married Samantha, but still Laura kept his heart. At first, he and Laura decided that things would be better if they remained only friends, so that he could try to make his marriage work. But Samantha didn't really want that, because she knew that his heart didn't belong to her. So, after she gave birth to their first, and only, child, she kicked him out of their bed and told him to go back to Laura, she herself going back to the man she really loved. Richard begged and begged Laura to take him back, but she was insistent that she would not sleep with a married man. When he was elected President of the 12 Colonies, he appointed her Secretary of Education. It was then that she admitted to him that she still loved him, and they spent a blissful night making sweet, passionate love to each other.

But even spending the night in Richard's arms, being told how much he loved her, couldn't change the fact that he was married, and not to her. They continued with their affair, stealing time to be with each other whenever they could, but it wasn't enough for Richard. He wanted more, he wanted to be with her always, to share a bed, to call her his wife. But he knew that if he left his wife for the Secretary of Education, there was no possible way that he would be re-elected. So he stayed with Samantha, stuck in a marriage with no love, a marriage where both partners loved someone else. He knew that Laura wasn't happy either, and she never missed an opportunity to express this feeling to Richard.

It seemed like everything he did anymore reminded him of Laura. He had spent most of his time with the cylons dreaming of her. Her long, sexy legs that had a tendancy of tangling up with his when they were sleeping. The long, reddish hair that his fingers would tangle up in when he was kissing her. The way she would moan when he nibbled on her ear. The way she would scream his name when she reached her climax.

"Sir?" A voice in his ear asked.

"Yes?" Richard snapped out of his memories. Right now was not the time to fantasize about Laura. He looked at the person who had adressed him. It was a young woman holding a baby boy.

"I was just wondering if I know you. You look very familiar." The woman said.

Richard thought for a moment about telling her who he was, but then decided against it. He didn't want to draw attention to himself just yet. "No, you don't. You must have me confused with someone else." He said.

"Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to bother you." The woman apologized.

"It's fine. What's your name?" Richard asked curiously.

"Cally. This is my son Nicholas. What's yours?" Cally asked

"Richard." Richard replied, hoping she didn't realize who he was but not wanting to lie to her.

"Nice to meet you Richard." Cally said, offering her hand. Richard took it, glad to once again feel human hands.

"Nice to meet you too, Cally." Richard replied, smiling warmly. "Do you have any idea where we're going."

"To the Battlestar Galactica. My husband and I are on the deck crew. We fix the vipers and stuff like that." Cally explained.

"Oh, great. I've always wanted to see the inside of the Battlestar Galactica." Richard lied. He had seen the inside once before.

"It's a magnificent ship." Cally raved. "It's my home. And I'm excited for Nicholas to grow up there."

"Oh." Richard replied. "Maybe he'll grow up to be in the military."

"Maybe. Hopefully we'll be to Earth by then."

"Earth?"

"Yeah. You know, the planet that the president and the admiral are taking us to. Or, they were before Gaius Baltar won the election." Cally said bitterly.

"Oh, not I remember. Sorry. A little out of it lately." Richard apologized.

"It's fine. We all are." Cally replied.

After a few minutes of silence, the raptor was landing. The passengers filed out one by one, stepping into the mass confusion that was the Battlestar Galactica.


	2. Part 2

"Madame President, your shuttle is ready to take you to Galactica." Tory informed Laura. "What are you looking for?" She asked.

"My glasses." Laura replied, picking up a stack of papers and looking underneath them.

"They're right here." Tory said, handing them to her. "They were on the sink in the head."

"Thank you, Tory." Laura said, taking the glasses and putting them on. "Oh, and don't call me Madame President just yet. It's bad luck." She teased.

"Okay then, Ms. Roslin." Tory said, laughing.

Laura laughed, giving Tory a look. "How many times do I have to tell you? Call me Laura."

"Okay then, Laura." Tory laughed again.

Laura put on her jacket and picked up her overnight bag. "Okay, I'm ready." Tory and Laura left Laura's quarters, walking towards the shuttle.

"So, I'm guessing from the overnight bag that you're staying over on Galactica after you're sworn it?" Tory half asked, half stated.

"You got me. I'll come back to Colonial One tomorrow night." Laura said sheepishly.

"Where are you going to stay?" Tory asked with a smile.

"Oh, um, the admiral has arranged some accommodations for me." Laura said.

"It's my understanding all extra quarters are full because of the civilians?" Tory asked.

"Oh, I don't know why I bother. You know as well as I do that I will be staying with the Admiral." Laura said quietly.

"About time." Tory smiled knowingly, stifling a laugh as Laura shot a glare at her.

* * * * *

Richard entered the starboard hanger deck with a group of civilians, heading to see the new president being sworn in. He still wasn't sure who the new president was and he definitely didn't want to draw attention to himself by asking. He wondered if it was someone he knew, maybe someone in his cabinet. He knew that Gaius Baltar had been the President during the occupation on New Caprica, because he had heard the Cylons talking about it, but he had no idea who the new president was.

"Richard? Is that you?" Someone said from behind him.

He wheeled around to see Cally standing behind him, holding Nicholas. He breathed a sigh of relief. "Hello, Cally. Nice to see you again." He smiled. "Hello, Nicholas. You get cuter and cuter everyday." He said, patting Nicholas on the head.

"This is my husband, Galen." Cally said, gesturing to a man standing beside her.

Richard held out his hand. "A pleasure to meet you, Galen."

Tyrol shook his hand. "Please, call me Tyrol. Everyone else does. It's a pleasure to meet you as well."

Richard smiled. "Can I hold Nicholas?" He asked.

"Sure!" Cally said, handing Nicholas to him carefully.

Richard took Nicholas from Cally, surprised at how light he was. He had never held babies often before he was taken by the cylons. When Samantha had given birth to their daughter, Shelly, she had immediately hired a nanny and told Richard that he could only see Shelly two hours out of the day, saying that he was a bad influence for their daughter. Richard spent the two allowed hours every day telling his daughter how much he loved her and how she would grow up to be a beautiful woman. The child had died when she was three, and though Richard never showed it, he was devastated. Soon after her death the Cylons had attacked the colonies and captured him.

"He's beautiful." Richard said, staring into the baby's beautiful blue eyes.

"Cal, it's about to start. We have to go stand in our military positions. Where's the babysitter?" Tyrol asked.

"She's not coming. I thought that maybe they'd let me stand out so that I can take care of Nicky." Cally said.

"No, they won't. You know the rules and you can't bring Nicholas, either. What are we gonna do?" Tyrol said.

Cally looked back at Nicky and saw how content he seemed to be with Richard and an idea struck her.

"Richard, I know it's asking a lot, but could you hold Nicholas until it's over? Then I'll come right back and get him?" Cally asked hopefully.

"Of course I can. We'll be right here." Richard answered.

"Thank you so much. We owe you one." Cally said gratefully.

"No problem." Richard answered

Cally and Tyrol hurried to their designated positions where the rest of the military was standing in formation. Richard looked down at Nicholas, surprised to see that the baby was fast asleep.

Suddenly, someone yelled, "Attention on deck!", and everyone in the military snapped to attention. The Admiral entered the hangar bay hatch closest to the stage, a woman with red hair holding on to his arm. The woman had her head turned, talking to someone behind her. When she stepped onto the stage and turned her head to face the crowd, Richard immediately recognized who it was. The long, beautiful, red hair that fell past her shoulders, the gorgeous smile that made his heart skip a beat, but, most of all, the deep, electric green eyes that made him stop breathing. He knew this woman well. It was Laura.

* * * * *

"Welcome, Madame President." Bill said to Laura, holding the hatch open for her.

Laura stepped into his quarters and looked around, glad to finally be back. "It's been too long, Bill." She said.

"I feel the same way." Bill answered with a smile. "So, what's it feel like to be president again?"

"Oh, I don't know. It doesn't really feel any different." Laura admitted.

"Well, I guess that's good." Bill said.

"Yeah, I guess." Laura said, sitting down on the couch.

"Would you like a drink?" Bill asked.

"That would be wonderful." Laura said gratefully.

Bill grabbed two glasses and opened a safe that was sitting on his desk. He grabbed a bottle and poured the drinks. He picked up the glasses and handed one to Laura, sitting on the couch next to her. She took a sip and scooted a little closer. "What is this?" She asked.

"Caprican Brandy." Bill answered.

"Oh my gods. I haven't had this in forever. Where did you get this?" Laura asked.

"There are some advantages to being the Admiral." Bill teased.

Laura giggled and finished the glass. Bill smiled and finished his. He took her glass from her and set both of the glasses on the table next to the couch. He scooted next to her, their knees now touching. She put her hand on his thigh and smiled up at him. "I've missed you, Bill." She said.

"I've missed you too, Laura." Bill said. "When the Cylons came back, we had no choice but to jump. But all I could think about was you. I didn't want to go, Laura. I'm so sorry."

"Bill, you said it yourself. You had no choice. If you hadn't, we'd all be dead. You came back. That's all that matters." Laura said, grabbing his hand.

Bill leaned towards her and pressed his lips gently to hers. Laura kissed him back, hard. His hands found their way to her neck and his fingers tangled in her hair. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. He pulled away and looked into her eyes. "I love you, Laura."

"I love you too." She choked, starting to cry.

"I mean it. You are the best thing that's ever happened to me. It broke my heart to have to leave you. I love you so much. You mean everything to me." He wiped away a tear that had fallen down her cheek and kissed her gently.

"Bill." She said, pulling away. "I want you to make love to me."

Bill stood up and walked across his quarters to his bed. He grabbed a sheet and a blanket and walked back towards the couch. He laid the sheet out on the floor in front of the couch and dropped the blanket next to it. He then walked back over to the couch and grabbed the glasses on the side table and took them to the head. When he was satisfied that everything was appropriately cleaned up, he walked back over to the couch, picked Laura up, and set her gently down on the sheet and lay down next to her.

Laura giggled. "What are you doing, Bill?" She asked.

"Taking care of my girl." He replied with a smile, bending over her and kissing her tenderly.

Laura grabbed his collar and pulled him down on top of her. She then rolled them over so that she was on top of him. She slowly unbuttoned the buttons of his uniform jacket, her hands moving slowly across his chest. When she was finished unbuttoning it, she reached underneath and slid it off his chest. He sat up so that she could slip it off her shoulders and take off his tanks. She pulled his dog tags over his head and kissed his surprised face. She slipped the chain over her head and laid it around her neck.

"Lay down." She ordered. He complied. She slid down his body, unzipping and unbuttoning his pants as she went. She slid his pants down his legs, leaving his boxers on. He picked his hips up so that she could slip them off faster and easier. She crumpled them into a ball and threw them across the room. "We won't need those anymore." She teased, bending over to kiss him.

She reached down and fingered his cock through the fabric of his boxers. He moaned, longing to feel her hands on his skin without any clothing in the way. She took the moan as encouragement and slipped his fingers under the waistband. She walked her fingers down his pelvis, and then grabbed his cock in her full hand, smiling as he twitched at her touch. She rubbed him for a minute, then took her hand from his boxers and kissed him again. Again, her fingers returned to his waistband, this time sliding the boxers off. She threw them a few feet away and immediately took his cock into her mouth moving him slowly in and out, taking her time to lick and nibble in all the right places, guided by his moans.

She kept this routine up until she heard him moan her name loudly, and he released into her mouth.

* * * * *

Richard watched Laura exit the hangar deck on the Admiral's arm, numb to everything around him. All through the ceremony, he could only think of one thing. _She's alive. The love of my life is alive. Thank the gods._ A noise from Nicholas brought him back to reality. _How am I going to get near her? _He wondered. _I know. I have to tell someone who I am. If they know who I am, they'll definitely send me to see the Admiral and the President._

"Richard, thank you so much for watching Nicky." Cally said, coming up to him.

"Yes, thank you." Tyrol said from behind Cally. "Would you like to get a drink with us?"

"I'd love that." Richard said. "But first, I have something to tell you."

"Yes?" Cally asked.

"I wasn't totally honest with you about who I am." Richard said.

"Okay, then who are you?"

* * * * *

Bill slowly came down from his high and pulled Laura against him his eyes twinkling as he reached for the buttons on her shirt. "Let's get this off." He said.

Laura laughed, reaching down to help him. He swatted her hand away, wanting to do it himself. She was lying on her back, him over her this time. He finished unbuttoning her shirt and slid it off her shoulders, not bothering to throw it across the room like she had done with his clothes. He reached underneath her skirt to take it off, along with her panties. He neatly folded her skirt and panties, then threw them on the couch.

Laura laughed. "What as the point of that?"

Bill shrugged, and then proceeded to kiss his way down her neck, over her chest and stomach stopping to lick at her navel before he finally settled between her legs and kissed her curls. He examined her folds, and then after a few blissful moments of laving her with his tongue he slowly slid one finger into her. Encouraged by her gasp, he put two fingers in and began to massage. Hardly aware of her moans and gasps, he swapped his fingers for his tongue, surprising Laura. In a matter of moments she burst inside his mouth.

* * * * *

"Who are you?" Cally repeated.

"Richard Adar." Richard said.

"Adar? As in, President Adar?" Cally asked.

"Yes."

* * * * *

Bill waited until Laura had calmed down, and then slipped his fingers underneath her bra to undo the clasp. When he had slipped it off her shoulders and threw it a few feet away from him, he sat back to admire her beauty. "You're so beautiful." He said, bending over to kiss her.

Laura felt a wave of emotions hit her. _He thinks I'm beautiful. He loves me. He's making love to me._ She held back tears as she kissed him back.

Bill pulled away and trailed kisses down her jaw, chin, neck, and finally rested on her breasts. One hand cupped the right breast, massaging gently, while his mouth nipped and licked the other. He switched breasts, nipping and licking the right breast with his mouth and massaging the left one with his hand.

* * * * *

"President Adar?!" Cally repeated loudly.

"Well, I'm not president anymore, but yes, that's who I am." Richard said.

"Why didn't you say something before?!" Tyrol asked. "We need to tell the President and the Admiral!"

"Because the Cylons took me during the attacks and I've been with them ever since! I didn't want anyone to think that I was a cylon!" Richard said.

"We know who all the Cylons are. They were all on New Caprica. We know that you're not a Cylon. You should have told someone sooner." Cally said.

"Well, I'm telling someone now."

* * * * *

Laura rolled Bill onto his back again.

"Laura, what are you doing?" Bill asked.

"You'll see." Laura said. She grabbed his cock, rubbing it, and positioned it so that she could sink down onto it. She took him in slowly, inch by inch, until he was fully inside her. They sat like that for a moment, fingers intertwined, him in her, as one. After what seemed like hours to Bill but was really only moments to the real world, she started rocking her hips up and down. Each thrust brought them closer, each touch more intimate than the one before.

* * * * *

"Let's take you to see the Admiral and the President." Tyrol said.

"I'll take him." Cally said. "You need to drop Nicky of at the babysitter since we're still on duty." She gave Nicholas to Tyrol, and then turned to Richard. "I can take you to the hall where the Admiral's quarters are, but you'll have to go in on your own. I have to get back here." She said.

"That's fine. Will they let me in?" He asked.

"Just tell the marines that will be standing outside the door who you are, and they'll let you in." Cally said, walking out of the hangar bay. Richard followed her, excited that he would finally be able to see Laura.

* * * * *

Laura screamed Bill's name into his shoulder as she reached her climax, and he followed her with a moan only seconds later. Laura rolled off of Bill, trying to catch her breath. "That was…amazing." She said breathlessly.

"I…know." He breathed. "Wow." He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her to him. He grabbed the blanket with his other hand and covered them up. "I love you." He whispered into her ear.

"I love you too." She said. "Did you lock the hatch?" She asked suddenly.

"Oh, frak." He said. "No, but no one's going to bother us."

"How do you know?" She asked.

"I sent the marines down the hall."

Laura laughed. "Obvious, much?"

"It was just a precaution." He said.

"Uh-huh."

* * * * *

As they reached the hall where the Admiral's quarters were located, Cally stopped. "That's weird." She said. "I don't see the marines anywhere. Oh well. Just knock and go on in."

"Thank you, Cally." Richard said gratefully.

"You're welcome." Cally said. "Good luck. I'll see you later."

"Okay." Richard said, approaching the hatch. When he reached it, he paused. _Am I really ready to do this?_ He wondered. _Okay, here goes._ He knocked on the door and opened the hatch.

"FRAK!"

"FRAK!"

"OH MY GODS!"


	3. Part 3

"FRAK!"

"FRAK!"

"OH MY GODS!"

Richard's jaw dropped open. Laura, his Laura, the love of his life, lying naked on the floor in the arms of another man.

Bill pulled the blanket tighter around Laura. _Frak! Laura was right. I should have locked the hatch._

Laura almost stopped breathing. Was that…Richard? _Oh my gods, it is! He isn't dead! And I'm lying here naked with Bill. This isn't the least bit awkward. _

"Laura?"

"Richard?"

"Yeah."

"What are you doing here? I thought you were dead!" Laura exclaimed.

"I guess not." Bill said.

Richard glared at Bill. "Who asked you?"

"This is my ship, my quarters. I can talk if I want to." Bill said nastily.

"Hey, hey, hey. No need to get nasty, here." Laura said. "Richard, can you please step out for a moment?" She asked.

"Gladly." Richard said, closing the hatch behind him.

"What is he doing here?" Bill asked. "And why is he so upset to see you with me. Like this."

Laura looked down guiltily. "Richard and I…me and him…well…"

"Oh." Bill said. "I get it."

"That doesn't change anything between us!" Laura said quickly, looking up at Bill. "Richard and I were over before the attack on the colonies. I still love you." She said.

"And I still love you." Bill said, pulling her closer to him and kissing her.

A knock on the hatch interrupted them. "I'm still out here!" Richard called.

"Hold your frakkin horses!" Bill yelled.

"Bill." Laura warned. "We'll be ready in a moment." She called, putting on her bra.

Bill and Laura dressed quickly, Laura got rid of the sheets and blanket, and Bill brought out a bottle of Caprican Brandy and three glasses. When they were finished, Laura walked over to the hatch and opened it. "Come in." She said to Richard, stepping aside so that he could walk past. "Please, sit down." She said, pointing to the couch.

Bill filled the three glasses and handed two of them to Laura. She handed one to Richard and downed the other in one sip. Bill followed suit and took her glass from her, setting them on the table. Laura sat down opposite Richard, and Bill took sat next to her.

There was a moment of silence. "How did you survive the attacks? Where have you been all this time? What are you doing here now?" Laura blurted out in a rush.

Richard smiled. "Which one do you want me to answer?" He teased.

"All of them!" Bill said gruffly.

Richard glared at Bill. "Fine. One, the cylons took me. Two, I've obviously been with them. Three, I'm telling you that I'm alive."

"But…how did you get to be on Galactica?" Laura asked.

"The cylons let me go on New Caprica. I joined a group heading for a raptor that brought us to Galactica…" He trailed off, distracted by the sight of Bill's hand on Laura's leg.

Bill smirked, knowing from the look on Richard's face that this was getting to him. He squeezed, making Laura shudder. She turned and gave him a look, prompting him to remove his hand. He winked at her and pulled his hand back. She gave him one last look before turning to Adar.

"Laura, what do you want to know?" Richard asked.

"Huh?"

"What do you want me to tell you. I know you." He smirked at Bill. "You want to know more. What exactly do you want to know?" He asked.

"Uh…everything, I guess." Laura said hesitantly.

So Richard told her the story of everything that had happened to him, drawing the story out so that he could spend more time with her. He could tell that he was irritating Bill with the way that he was staring at Laura, and he enjoyed that fact thoroughly.

When he was finished telling his story, Laura wasn't sure what to say. "Um…" She said.

"So how did you become President?" Richard asked quickly.

"Well, everyone that was in line before me was killed on the attacks. Well, except for you, I guess. So I was sworn in and served out the remainder of your term. I ran for reelection, but Baltar beat me because of my view on settling on New Caprica. I believed that it wasn't a good choice, and he disagreed with me. In the end that was what won him the election. I guess people were tired of being on the run, and since we had found a habitable planet, they thought it was right to stay. Baltar went missing when we stormed New Caprica, so Tom Zarek was president, because he had been vice president."

"Tom Zarek! The terrorist!?" Richard shouted, outraged.

"Hey! Knock of the frakking yelling!" Bill yelled.

"You're on to talk." Richard said nastily.

Laura gave an exasperated sigh. "Knock it off, you two." She said. "Yes, the terrorist."

Richard gave Bill one last nasty look before looking at Laura.

She continued. "Tom appointed me vice president, and then resigned, making me president. So here we are."

"Here we are." Richard repeated.

There was a moment of awkward silence before Richard cleared his throat. "Laura, may I have a word with you?" He asked cautiously.

"What you have to say to her, you can say in front of me." Bill said protectively.

"Bill, will you go get my overnight bag from the head?" Laura asked pointedly.

"Of course." Bill said, standing up. He brushed the back of his hand across her face as he walked past.

When he was out of earshot (or so Richard thought), Richard cleared his throat again.

"Yes?" Laura asked.

"Do you love him?" Richard asked.

"What?"

"Do you love him?"

"Why is it any of your business?" Laura asked.

"I love you, Laura. And you love me. Or, you used to. I think it's my business." Richard said.

"I don't know, Richard."

"It's a simple yes or no answer, Laura. Do you love him?"

"Well, yeah." Laura said.

"Do you still love me?" Richard asked quietly.

"I'll always love you…" Laura started.

"Then be with me." Richard interrupted.

"Richard…"

"No, listen to me. If you love with me, then you should be with me. That's the way it should be. I love you Laura, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Richard said, dropping down on one knee.

"Richard…"

"Please say yes, Laura." Richard pleaded.

"Laura." Bill said softly, coming up behind her. "Before you say anything…"

"Bill…"

"No. Listen. All I want is for you to be happy. That's all that matters to me. Whether you choose me or Richard, I want you to do what's best for you."

Laura held back tears. "Bill…"

"Laura." Richard said. "Who do you choose?"

"You know what?" Laura turned towards Richard.

"Yes?"

"Frak off."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. You have no right to barge in here and make me choose between you and Bill."

"I have every right. I love you, and I know you love me. We should be together." Richard said defensively.

"No, we shouldn't." Laura said.

"Laura, please. I want you. I've always wanted you. And you've always wanted me. This is our chance to finally be together." Richard pleaded.

"You had a chance, Richard. And you blew it. You married Samantha!"

"I only married Samantha to improve my chances of becoming President. Besides, you didn't want to marry me anyway. So really, it's your own fault!"

"Don't you dare tell me that it's my fault you married someone else!" Laura yelled.

"I never would have married her if you had said yes to my proposal!" Richard yelled back.

"You never really asked me to marry you!" Laura said. "You demanded me!"

"_Marry me, Laura."_

"_What?" _

"_Marry me." Richard repeated._

_Laura spun around. Richard was casually leaning against the kitchen counter. "Did I hear you correctly? Did you just demand me to marry you?" She asked._

"_Yes, yes I did. And you'll say yes."_

"_Like hell." Laura said angrily._

"_Laura, why won't you marry me?" Richard asked._

"_Because I don't want to." Laura said._

"_Fine." Richard stomped out of the room._

"_Where are you going?" Laura called after him._

"_To find someone who will marry me." Richard yelled._

Richard cringed at this memory. Laura was right. He had come back a week later with news of his engagement. He hadn't even given her a chance to consider marrying him. And now he was too late.

"Laura, please." He pleaded again.

"Richard, I loved you. And a part of me will always love you. But that part isn't big enough. The part of me that loves Bill, that part's enormous." She said, looking at the admiral. "I love him, and he's what I want. I choose Bill."

Richard nodded. "If he's what you really want, then I won't stand in the way." He said, standing up. "I think I'll go now." He walked towards the hatch, then turned around. "I'm happy for you." He said. "I really am. Good luck." And with that he opened the hatch and left.

Laura turned to Bill. "Um…"

Bill put his finger to his lips, shushing her. He leaned down and kissed her gently. "I love you, Laura." He said.

THE END!


End file.
